Chad Kerr knows the stakes are high when he heads to the Canadian Bodybuilding Championship next month in Montreal.
But he likes his odds of finishing in the top two and earning a professional bodybuilding card at the Oct. 9 event.
The long-time local competitor is already married to a pro builder and he wants to get in on the action.
His wife, CeaAnna, won the Canadian figure championship in 2007 and he has travelled to her shows, something that has helped him prepare for this opportunity.
"I definitely do know a lot of the guys that are competing, just from competing with them in the past. I try not to psyche myself out too much on the Internet, to look at your competitors, but you always end up seeing one or two here or there," he said.
"There's obviously guys that are bigger, but at this show, at this level, it's all about conditioning. It's about being complete on the front and the back, from top to bottom. I think my chances this year are fairly good because of conditioning."
Kerr will likely wind up in the heavyweight division, for builders in the 200-225 pound range.
He expects at least 20 others in his division.
Kerr's confidence is backed up by his track record. He's been competing for about 10 years, with the highlight being his 2006 Mr. Saskatchewan victory, taking top spot in the men's overall category at provincials.
But his last big event, the nationals in 2009, wasn't so successful with a 12th-place finish.
"Things didn't go too good. Everything that could go wrong pretty much went wrong that year," he reflected.
Earning a professional card would open up a lot of new opportunities.
"Basically it would open up competing all over the world, with what that includes. Some guys get supplement contracts, you get yourself in the magazines. You have to get yourself out there too, so you get more exposure that way," he said.
The other big bonus is being eligible for cash prizes at shows.
"Some people do make a living off of being a pro, but not a lot of guys do. Most people have jobs and work full-time. It's something you kinda do on the side," Kerr said.
Despite withdrawing from competition in 2010 for job reasons, Kerr said he's on track with his training because his habits haven't changed.
"This is pretty much a lifestyle that you live. It's not something you just do for four months to get ready for the show. The diet is always there, the training is always there."
He has been working with renowned coach George Farah for the past year, as well as training partner Mike Jamal. He also credited his parents, friends, sponsors and others who have helped him get to the national stage.
